Among the Willows
by culpaeros
Summary: ShizuoxIzaya. The life of an outlaw was never one Shizuo Heiwajima had imagined for himself. But this doesn't seem to be a good enough reason for that flea of a bounty hunter, Izaya Orihara, to give up stalking his trail. Cowboy AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Among the Willows  
**Fandom:** Durarara!  
**Pairing: **Shizuo/Izaya  
**Rating: **M  
**Prompt from the kink meme: **Shizuo is an outlaw who didn't actually do the crime he's wanted for. Izaya is the bounty hunter searching for him.

**Disclaimer**_: I own none of these characters!_

**Note: **THIS STORY CONTAINS MALExMALE RELATIONSHIPS

* * *

Defeat.

Helpless Defeat

The feeling was not a pleasant one to feel when a male spent the entirety of his adult life fighting a battle without an enemy. Struggling to win a war against no one but the elements themselves. A war of survival in a terrain that was familiar in its unfamiliarity. Recognizable despite having never been seen.

_Ting_

The distinct sound of dip being spit into a nearby spittoon did little to lift the funk that had befallen over a certain blond. Cowboy hat hanging limply in one hand, strong arms covered in muscle and dirt rested atop equally mussed pants while the seated male laid them on top of his knees.

Dejection

"What the fuck is Heiwajima being held for?"

"Don't concern ya none ol' man"

"'course it concern me! I'm a man short everyday he in 'ere!"

_Ting_

"He ain't going' nowhere anytime soon so keep walkin' 'ollis"

Why would he be in here?

Why would someone who spent his whole life walking the side of the law suddenly wind up behind bars?

_Shizuo!_

Why would someone like _me _wind up in here?

"He didn't kill that girl!"

"Ain't got an alibi"

"I'm his fucking alibi!"

_Ting_

"Now look here ol' man"

The sound of a chair creaking as it was placed back properly on its legs makes my skin bristle with goosebumps.

"Sheriff caught him as red-handed as someone can get. He staying until they can bring 'im to trial"

"More like they will feed 'im to the mob! Where's the sheriff?"

"He went fo' a drink"

"The hell? He supposed to be working!"

"You ain't the only one affected by this 'ollis. Now get back to your ranch and don't bother the sheriff none. Heiwajima stays"

The sound of my one time boss, old man Hollis', boots scuffing along the creaking wood is like the final chimes of the church bells death tolls to me. My hand unconsciously tightens around my hat and I feel the last shred of my hope at going back to a normal life leaving with him.

With a sigh I finally lift my head to glance towards the one window that offers any view to the outside in my jail cell. Its high up, evidently meant to be teasing for the drunkards they most often use the jailhouse for but for some one as tall as me it was just about eye level. The orange and reds of the setting sun reflect off the dust and dirt floating around the bars in a sensuous dance. The only company left for me…

until nightfall.

Tensing up my muscles, I heave a breath as I quickly rise with a stretch. A groan slips through my lips when it feels like I pulled something in my lower back so I swiftly place the palm of the hand holding my hat on that sore spot and arch until a joint pops. Grimacing slightly , I mimic this stretching with my neck next until two swift pops hint at the joints loosening up. Guess it didn't help any that id been sitting in that same position for the last several hours, probably ever since the sheriff dragged me in here.

"Oiii!"

My voice comes out as rough as the sand that I have spent the last several years of my life drinking from the very air here in Texas. It is greeted by the sound of startled feet landing on the ground, another ringing of the spittoon and hasty footsteps running towards my cell.

"Finally speaking, chinaman?"

I scowl at the insult. Never mind the fact that Ive proven myself more capable and hardy than the so called hard broiled boys America churns out. And nevermind that he knows I'm fucking Japanese. All that vanishes when you're accused of murder.

"Water."

Its not a request nor a question, but rather a demand as my eyes stare coldly down at the deputy. He doesn't seem to take this well as evident by the inappropriate words that spill out of his mouth followed swiftly by an arm reaching through the bars to grab my shirt. He tries to pull me towards him, perhaps in a show of power but fails rather pitifully.

"You don't need any"

He releases me with a slight shove. It was enough to make a lesser man stumble backwards but that ain't me. All that happened was my shoulder moved slightly as I maintained my gaze upon the brunette. "Gonna be hung soon 'nuff anyway"

As night fell I found myself sitting once more in that same position as earlier. There was a bed in the jail cell but one look at the bare mattress told me that if I had a choice I wouldn't want to go anywhere near it. Who knows what kind of other people have occupied it. The only thing that keeps me company for the longest time is the sound of the spittoon ringing out every half hour or so as the deputy chews more and more of his tar. The sheriff it seemed wouldn't be returning from his bender anytime soon that night. He was friends with the father of the dead girl, it only made sense that he'd be drinking away his responsibility at being unable to prevent her 'murder'.

Heavy lids slid shut over my tired eyes. It was getting close to that time of the year when the cattle drivers would come to take the animals north to Kansas. As a result the hands that worked around the ranch were tireless in their endeavors to get everything straightened out before they did. Me included. Just the thought of all the work I had left behind makes a bead of sweat dew in anticipation of the torturous tasks. Swiftly I wipe it away before sliding my legs out to rest in front of me.

Reaching into my pocket I pull out a rectangular instrument, my own initials engraved into the metal. S-H. A gift from from someone that other people would label a good friend to me. Id probably just call him annoying.

Lifting the harmonica to my lips, I cup my hands slightly behind it before sucking in my breath to receive a satisfactory note from it. Not a second later the familiar howl of a coyote gives me reason to pause. Glancing towards the bars keeping me locked away I cant help but grin. It is one of those 'I know something you don't know' grins that if directed towards me would have pissed me off. But instead of the familiar anger that I'm prone to experience all that fills my soul is the sense of calm acceptance.

Replacing the instrument upon my lips a familiar song begins to come out as I go through the motions. The volume starts out low before slowly rising. But even at its loudest it doesn't successfully block out the noises of a scuffle that abruptly begins to occur just out of my sight. The sound of a body being slammed around is accompanied by the familiar ching of spurs until finally a loud thud hints at the deputy's body being dropped over the railing of the patio and onto the dirt outside.

My music doesn't stop playing until the rustling of a set of keys being turned in the nearby lock gives me reason to pause. Opening my eyes once more I am greeted by the hidden face of a young woman. One whom I knew from memory was pretty in her own way save for a scar that extended completely around her neck.

"Celty…"

Despite my earlier confidence there is a sense of relief in seeing my best friend here. Her eyes are somewhat blank but I can recognize the small upturn of her rosy lips from beneath the black bandanna that covers her face as she twirls the key ring around an index finger before me.

Idly I begin to dust myself off as I stand to approach the black clad female. Her hat is low over her forehead and the bandanna is obviously meant more for hiding her identity this time around than to protect from dust getting into her lungs. She pulls me into a hug as I get close and almost automatically my arms wrap around her slim frame as well. "I didn't do it you know." I can feel her nodding against my shoulder before we finally disentangle ourselves. We don't speak of the brief exchange of emotion, instead all we do is offer each other one last comforting look before she guides me out of the jail.

"About time."

Nervous eyes are wide behind his spectacles as Shinra eyes the two tall horses that he holds the reins to in both hands. "Sheriff could come back any minute" The doctor's eyes slide away from the animals to look at Celty and I as we draw near. Almost like it called out to him he notices the harmonica in my hand and his brief terror is replaced by a smug look. Swiftly I try to hide the evidence of my having used it by shoving it into my jean pockets. "I knew you liked it" Despite the gravity of the situation a chuckle managed to slip through my lips as I shake my head at him.

"What now then?"

In an effort to change the subject from his gift I glance at the two tall horses on either side of Shinra. One had to be almost nineteen hands tall, no way the small doctor had ridden it. "Now, you run." One set of reins are handed to Celty while the doctor steps forward to give me the other ones. "Run?" Anger permeates my voice at the very notion and it is only because of his nerves at the idea of being caught that Shinra clamps his now free hand over my mouth. "You can't stay here Shizuo! The whole town is itching to hang you come morning!" I scowl from underneath Shinra's hand before finally yanking it away from my mouth. "Their evidence wont hold up in court! I deserve a trial!"

"Deserving and actually getting one are two separate things! Use your head for christ's sake."

The reins are forced into my hands and the doctors expression wipes free of the fear plaguing him in his brief anger over my reluctance to leave.

"Celty will lead you to a camp not far from here where an old friend of mine is waiting. He'll help you hide until we can straighten everything out here"

Celty's already on her horse, impatience reflecting in her eyes as she begins to pull at her reins to make the black beast move. I grind my teeth slightly before finally shoving my foot into the stirrup. Placing one hand upon the back of the saddle and the other around the horn I heave myself onto the seat with a practiced ease before sliding my second foot into the other stirrup. Tugging backwards on the reins - so that the morgan horse's head moves up and he begins to back away from Shinra - I offer the doctor only one good bye.

"Don't get yourself killed over me Shinra."

Shinra's laugh echos almost hauntingly in the night air as me and Celty simultaneously dig our spurs into the horses sides to make them take off into a fast gallop. The horses won't be able to maintain that speed for long but we are both aware that it's the first few minutes of this so-called escape that will matter the most.

Since our horses will swerve if we do, neither of us bother to chance a glance back. Instead we decide to make due with that last image of Shinra happily laughing near the deputy's beaten up body. Or at least I do. Even if she wanted to, there was no way I would let Celty become a fugitive with me.

"How far away is this friend?"

Celty shuffles her reins for a bit to gather them into the hand also clutching her saddles horn before she holds the other one up to me.

"Three Leagues?"

She nods, eyes finally sliding over to glance at me.

"Do I know him?"

She shrugs. Celty had been here for only two years. She had been a cattle driver before the accident. However when a person is thrown from a horse and nearly killed as their neck gets caught in some ranchers barbed wires the urge to go back out into the action dissipates rather fast. How she could even stand being on a horse to work at the ranch was anyone's guess. If anything it was probably that one horse that made all the difference. I have never seen her ride any other one besides the pure black beast.

Heart pounding I fall silent. There was no use in speaking to someone who couldn't answer back and at least this way I can pretend we're just going for another nightly ride...instead of running away from those who would want to see me dead.

The ride to wherever Celty is taking me is shorter than I would like it to be. Mostly because I know once we get to wherever it is we are going she will have to leave. But there wasn't a chance or a reason to delay. Not when my life hangs in the balance. If my horse slowed down at all it was only because it was growing tired. They can never remain in a full-fledged gallop for long. It wore too much at the horse.

Suddenly Celty's knees tightened around her horse before she pulled back upon her reins. Mimicking her movements, we both pull the horses to a complete stop near the edge of some woods. She doesn't give me a chance to ask why we had stopped as the dirt seems to have barely settled and shes dismounting to head into the area on foot.

Swinging a leg over, my boots let out a muted thud when my weight settles onto the ground. Looping one of the western reins under the horse's neck, I gather them both into one hand and begin to guide the creature into the dark woods after her. Celty is already well ahead of me but it's easy for my long legs to close the distance.

Some part of me would like to say the woods were quiet save for our breaths and the horses occasional sputters but that would be a lie. The country is never silent be it in or out of the woods. Even the very grass made noises thanks to the gentle winds that flowed through the land.

"Hey Cel-"

The familiar sound of a gun cocking causes me to freeze midstep. My body is instantly tensing up and if possible every single one of my senses increases almost correspondingly with my racing heart.

"This way."

A voice that echoes like a memory long forgotten suddenly speaks out in the darkness. My eyes dart to Celty as my entire body screams to prepare for the worst but she doesn't seem to share my hesitance. Instead she is turning her horse and striding easily to the side where I can just make out a figure darting back between some trees.

Clamping my mouth shut and trying to still my pounding heart I follow her into the thicket. I don't dare to speak, not yet sure if we are really safe or if we have just gotten ourselves into a more dangerous situation than the one we left. She, of course, cant tell me. I do know some sign language but my skills aren't adept enough to be able to read whatever words she could possibly flash across to me in this darkness.

"You two almost went right by me."

That voice speaks out again just as my horse breaks through some trees and we found ourselves in a rather small clearing. There is a small tent set up not too far away from us along with a bag and other miscellaneous things needed to traverse through the wilderness. However the items don't hold my attention long before Im looking at the male who I can now see clearly in the moonlight breaking through the trees.

He is taller than Shinra but still shorter than me. His skin is tanned - more so than mine and probably as a consequence of living out of doors – while his hair is long and appears to be braided in a peculiar fashion. Perhaps as a way to keep maintenance of it down. But the ruggidity of his looks stops there. His face is familiar, if not a little thinner than I remember, and his eyes smile with his lips in a compassionate expression.

"Tom?"

There were very few Japanese immigrants to America at the time that my own family relocated here. Even fewer out here in the west. It only made sense that at the time of my birth my parents had found a place up north with a few other Japanese families. The schoolhouse they sent us to was mostly white so us Japanese kids tended to stick together as much as our parents did. One of those kids was a year older than both me and Shinra and as a consequence sat two rows in front of us in the schoolhouse. Tanaka Tom. When Shinra's dad heard from a fellow doctor that they needed more skilled hands in the south both he and I had tagged along with our scholarly friend. Only sixteen and seventeen at the time, Shinra found a friend of a friend who could give him more training and I found work where I could. But Tom could never find something suited for him. When an opportunity to do some work with the pony express presented itself Tom had seized it. The occasional letter then was the only thing we had to know that he was doing alright.

"That really you?"

I tie my horses reins to an extending branch of a nearby tree before I begin to close the distance between us.

At my approach the two of us bow before grinning and clasping hands. It is a mixing of cultures that is as natural to us as breathing. Plus all bowing ever did was show who was more humble or who held power over who. In America it was more about one's individual character. And what better judge is there to a person's character at a first meeting than how they shake a man's hand? Tom's, I immediately note, is firm. Not strong per se but more like a steady, unrelenting grasp.

"Shizuo, its been awhile."

He clasps his second hand over my own, giving it one last hardy shake before releasing me. By this time Celty has tied up her horse as well and is vying for my attention.

Tom seems less confused about why she isn't speaking and more confused about what shes _saying _as her hands began to whirl in a speed so fast that I have trouble keeping up.

"Shinra is expecting her back"

I fall naturally into my role of translator for Tom. If I'm guessing right I'd say Shinra had met Tom sometime between my initial arresting and break out since introductions don't appear to be necessary.

"But Celty wh-"

Her head shakes, vehement in not letting me interrupt her.

"I can't possibly-"

"No its' alright Shizuo."

Tom interrupts us both from where he has crouched near his backpack. He tosses an apple towards me and at the very sight of the food my stomach growls. I had forgotten I had not eaten since breakfast.

"I know someone who can help you."

It seems my translations are unnecessary as Tom concludes that Celty is explaining why I would be depending on a childhood friend who I have not even seen for several years now.

Unfortunately Tom's not speaking long until Celty is snapping in my face, trying to get my attention back.

She points an index finger at me and slightly startled by the severity of her expression I take a step back. It's one of those 'if you get hurt out there I'll fucking kill you' expressions before she suddenly throws herself into me for another hug.

"I'll be fine, promise."

My voice is gruff with emotion. After having lived with her and Shinra for so many back breaking hard years its kind of impossible not to feel the overpowering pain at being forced to separate under these circumstances.

"You and Shinra don't need to worry about me."

She shakes her head against my chest before her shoulders rise as she takes a supportive breath through a damaged throat before pulling back again.

"_We will get to the bottom of this. And you, you will write to us often. We will send word as soon as it is safe to come back_"

I nod, voice lost in the grief of leaving behind what little family I have left.

Unable to stay a moment longer to force ourselves through this hard goodbye Celty turns back towards her horse. Undoing the small knot she moves it from the tree before quickly sliding into her black saddle.

We share one last look of regret before she's turning and riding back the way we had come. Leaving me to wallow in a mistake that I didn't even make.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title**: Among the Willows  
**Fandom:** Durarara!  
**Pairing: **Shizuo/Izaya  
**Rating: **M  
**Prompt from the kink meme: **Shizuo is an outlaw who didn't actually do the crime he's wanted for. Izaya is the bounty hunter searching for him.

**Disclaimer**_: I own none of these characters!_

**Note: **THIS STORY CONTAINS MALExMALE RELATIONSHIPS

* * *

The night passed by as one would expect it to given the situation. Most conversation centered around Tom trying to ask me about what had happened and I would twist it to make him focus on telling me what he had been doing since the last letter I had received.

We stayed the night there, sharing his small tent and eating cold food since a fire was too great a risk. It would only serve as a beacon screaming out into the night to look over here for those hot on my trail.

When morning finally came we quickly disassembled the camp, tried to cover our tracks and hauled the equipment onto what I now learned was Tom's horse's back.

"So tell me about this job"

Tom walked beside me, his hands holding the horse's reins as he guided us towards the town where I was to meet my next supposed employer.

"How many people from school do you remember?"

I guess my face looked confused at the question since Tom didn't wait long before continuing on.

"It seems we weren't the only ones that went west. A few of them have even started their own cattle drive. I got word a few days ago that their flank got hurt and was put out of commission. They're desperate for someone they can trust."

"I cant take your job Tom-"

Tom laughed, it was a familiar sound that I had missed.

"Like I'd give it up without a fight? I need money too Shizuo."

My face cracks a grin at his amused look.

"I'm sure they can find a place to put you though."

I nod, fingers pulling out a cigarette from my pocket and placing it on my lips.

"Since when did you smoke?"

I shrug, silently thinking to myself since when did I not smoke?

The walk to the first stop on the cattle drive trails isn't that far. A lot of towns have been springing up for the sheer purpose of giving the wranglers a place to rest for the night without having to deal with the animals. The sun is high and its well past noon as the town appears to be just hitting its stride. Soon we are forced to stop when a group of cattle begins to stampede right in front of us into a pen where their drivers arranged to have them housed. There are loud calls and jeers at the animals until the last one is finally in and once the gate is secure the ranchers climb off the horses to make a beeline for their own watering hole.

"Shizuo"

I had not realized I had been staring until I see Tom waving at me further down the road. Worry is evident on his face and my muscles tense in reaction. His face only seems to tighten even more as I move towards him.

Suddenly my shoulder brushes against someone elses as I move. My head automatically turns in order to apologize only for my whole body to abruptly freeze up the same moment that all I can see is red.

"Shizu-chan..."

That voice.

Those eyes.

That taunting smile.

"_I-za-ya_"

There is a space between us, put there in the brief moment that it took the two of us to turn and recognize the other. A scent only slightly overpowered by the smell of cattle overpowers me and I feel my body shake as my fist aches to punch the childhood nightmare.

"Shizuo!"

Tom's hand is on my shoulder but I don't seem to feel it.

The sound of a wagon approaching is unheard, only the louse's voice reaches me now.

"Another day, ne?"

The wagon crosses between us and once it passes he is gone.

Orihara Izaya.

The sound of something breaking alerts my senses and the rage finally dissipates enough for me to find that the railing to a nearby general store is lying splintered and broken in my hands.

"Shizuo!"

Tom is tugging at my arm, pulling me away from the destruction as people begin to gather. "We have to go now! Shizuo!"

My body is numb as Tom pulls me away, my mind lost in the whirl of senseless rage, as I go on auto pilot.

Orihara Izaya was _here_

"Who else Tom?"

We are running now, the horse still on Tom's left side as we escape the town before the repercussions for my actions can catch up with me.

"What?"

"Who else came out west?!"

He doesn't have a chance to answer as a ball of brown and black rams into me with a loud squeal and I find myself face first in some dirt.

A grown man could never knock me down.

A 160 cm tall female with the strength and speed of a wily coyote?

Gets me everytime.

As my face is ground into the dirt by a bouncing, bubbly female all I can really contemplate is just how far I have fallen in the more figurative sense.

"Shizu-Shizu~~!"

Karisawa Erika giggles uncontrollably as she pulls my hat off of my head and places it atop her own. Her knees are bent on either side of my splayed out body, long brown skirt stretched over my back as she makes herself comfortable on top of me.

"I didn't know you lived here now!"

"Erika."

A firm voice called out in a lecturing tone and I didn't have to look to know there was a pout on Erika's face as she slowly got off of me so that I could stand. It was needless to say my rage had calmed down but even if it hadn't I didn't really like hitting girls. Especially when they didn't mean any harm with their odd ways as Erika most often did. But that didn't mean their gender would necessarily stop me from doing it if I felt the hit was deserved.

"Hope the fall didn't knock any screws loose."

Kadota's hand is offered to me and despite not needing it I go ahead and take it, allowing the smaller male to pull me onto my feet.

"I thought you had settled down on a ranch?"

I steal my hat back from Erika before she can skip off with it to stand beside Walker and Togusa while the two begin to approach me and Tom as well.

"I did"

Venom echoes in my voice as I use my hat to try and dust myself off. Like a worried mother hen Tom comes over and attempts to help before I shake him off. Since when did a grown man need anothers help to get rid of dirt?

"I got your letter Kadota."

With the loss of his job of dusting the dirt off of me Tom turns to Kadota to talk business.

"I had planned on coming by myself but it seems Shizuo also needs a job."

Kadota glances between us. He was always keen. It was obvious he knew that something was up. However Kadota was a firm believer in not prying or weaseling information out of a person.

Unlike someone…

"Have you ever done this before Shizuo?"

I didn't realize that I had been scowling and staring at the town not too far from here until Kadota is waving in my face to get my attention.

Realizing what the question was I shake my head, mussed blonde locks following the movement before I glance back at that town.

God, the stench

I could still smell him.

My fingers twitched.

"Well we've been having our flank cover it but I guess a drag rider wouldn't hurt, do you-Shizuo?"

My eyes are still fixed on the town. Kadota's words are turning into a low annoying buzz.

He's here

"Shizuo! Pay attention"

Tom's voice echoes reprimendingly and surprised at the tone I glance at him. However by now the two of them are already talking money and the main focus seems to be on my lack of a horse-

"I can get him one~"

Suddenly Erika is beside us again, her eyes glimmering with excitement as she literally wiggles her way into the center.

"Just give me the go ahead, Bossman!"

Kadota's face clearly says he would rather eat frog's legs instead of giving her 'the go ahead' however there's without a doubt that whether or not she got it Erika would still do whatever she had planned.

"Make sure it's nothing illegal?"

Kadota glances at me and the unspoken 'we probably already have something else to worry about' echoes in the silence that follows. Luckily Erika doesn't seem to notice before quipping a good bye and running to grab Walker's hand and drag him back towards the town.

"We were just about to head out again. Do you guys need to prepare or do anything…?"

My jaw drops to speak at the same time that my eyes return to that town. The word 'Kill' echoes in my mind, however, before I can speak it Tom has already beaten me.

"No, we are ready to head out at any time."

Scoffing slightly the four of us settled down to wait. I was actually pretty surprised when Erika returned with a relatively normal horse for me not an hour later. I was kind of expecting it to be dressed similar to the horses in those strange novels I remembered the female reading. And, judging by the expression on his face, Kadota had been expecting it too.

Neither of us bother to ask her where she got the stallion from. Neither of us really want to know. That way later we can claim ignorance if someone comes looking for it.

Surprisingly it is a spirited animal. I wouldn't be shocked to learn its real owner was still trying to break him. It takes a few tries for me to be able to get the saddle on and even more tries to climb _in_the saddle. Once I was he kept throwing his head back in agitation, large black eye glaring at me as if wondering why I was persisting on riding him. Several times Tom offered me his crop but I turned it down. If I was going to make this beast loyal to only me it would be with my own strength and skills. Besides, wasn't like I didn't have enough strength to do it.

Once I'm all settled, Erika and Walker take me and Tom through the ropes of what they do. The two of them are the point men meaning they steer the cattle. Tom will be about a third of the way back as the groups flank. His main job is to cut in any cattle that gets loose and to make sure the cattle don't fall too far from the main group. Since I'm still so new to all this I'm simply a drag rider. Meaning I push the slow ass cattle faster. Kadota, meanwhile, as the boss goes where he is needed and handles all the other duties that don't necessarily involve the cattle while Togusa brings up the very rear end in his wagon.

Their system is pretty easy to figure out, it pretty much involves letting Erika and Walker have their fun while Kadota tries to keep the group on track.

Even as they explain all this however my eyes keep glancing back towards the town. My whole body is anxious as if I can feel those eyes watching me. But I can't see him and that's probably the worst part. I _hate_not being able to see him when he sees me.

Once they are sure we've got the basics down the group heads out. The best way to learn is on the job after all.

And now since I have a task at hand all I can do is risk one last glance towards the town before joining the others in getting the cattle to move.

I just _knew_, even then, that things were only going to get worse from here on out.

* * *

It's several days until we finally reach another town. By the end of it I was ready to rip someone's head off and Erika was certainly looking like a strong possibility due to how she kept sneaking up behind me and making her horse startle mine so that he starts trying to buck me off.

Aggravation is clear on my face as Togusa hands me _yet another_ sourdough biscuit while Kadota begins to set up a place to leave the cattle for the night.

"What do we do now?"

I sigh the words out, hoping to alleviate some of the tension in my body as I stare at that biscuit like it's all the food's fault Im out here. "We find entertainment for the night." Togusa smiles encouragingly before moving towards Erika and Walker to make sure they didn't need anymore food. That's when I feel Tom's hand on my shoulder as the male tugs anxiously at me.

"Shizuo"

His voice is low and that can only mean theres more danger once again. Instantly I glance around, half expecting to see that louse only for Tom to tug at me again.

"Come on!"

I follow Tom, confused as he suddenly pulls my cowboy hat as low as it can go and has me put my bandanna over my mouth again. He leads me into the inn where we will be staying that night and up the staircase to the room we were to share.

"Tom, what is it?"

Theres a paper crumpled in his other hand and I glance at it. Was it a letter from Celty maybe?

Tom finally looks at me again once we are safe inside the room. Just to be more cautious he pulls me away from the door and towards the corner near the window before handing me the paper. My eyes focus on his as I grasp it before finally lowering to watch as I unfold it.

**Wanted: Dead or Alive  
Heiwajima Shizuo  
Reward…**

My eyes begin to haze over halfway down the page until finally all I can focus on is a rough sketch of my face staring back at me.

"A _bounty_?!"

My voice chokes in shock. I cant even get angry right now. All I can do is feel this shocked feeling and the way my stomach churns as if I want to throw up.

Dead or Alive.

Shinra was right. They didn't even want to give me a trial.

Numbly I sit on the bed, my eyes still fixated upon my picture.

This wasn't right. This wasn't right. This wasn't-

"What do we do?"

My eyes tighten as my hands crush the paper between them.

"We'll have to tell Kadota for one thing."

Tom muses, his eyes glossy as he looks out the window towards the group as Kadota begins to divvy up some cash between them.

"You'll have to stay in here until we leave. I hope you weren't planning on doing anything?"

Drinking away my troubles sure sounded good right about then but I kept my mouth shut.

"And we'll need to give you an alias. If the group started talking about you in public people will realize we are with you."

I just nod. The more Tom talks the more the anger begins to brew inside me; replacing the shock and disgust.

"What was your cousins name again?"

"….Tsugaru…."

"We'll go with that then. Stay here and Ill go tell the others."

Tom is gone faster than I would have thought possible. Not that I'm complaining since that meant he missed me punching a hole into the beds headboard when the frustration and anger in me finally snapped.

Blood from the wood drips down my arm and I can't help but growl at how unsatisfied I am with the damage.

"Tch…"

My pulse quickens with adrenaline as my blood begins to roar in my ears.

This wasn't my fault

_Izaya_

Why was it, when everything begins to go wrong _he_appears not a day later?

My bloody hand clenches the splintered wood.

I had let him get away…

"IIII-ZAAA-YAAAA!"


End file.
